So intent were the punchers on the etiquette of the ballroom, as expounded by Mr. Nick Looker, that they never glanced in the direction of the door. With suppressed mirth that threatened to break all bounds at any moment, Ethel, Roy, and Teddy watched the scene. “Now what I do?” Sing Lung wanted to know. “I mebby kiss you, hey?” “No! No!” Nick roared, his face a fiery red. “You don’t do nothin’ of the kind! You say ‘Cern’ly, pleecetuh!’ That’s all. Go on, say it.” “Celn’ly, pleecetuh,” simpered Sing Lung. “That’s right! Here, Nat, you try it. Don’t forget, Sing is a lady, even though he don’t know it. Go ahead!” With an exaggerated gait, Nat Raymond strutted forward. Bowing down, he said to Sing Lung: “Askin’ your liberty fer a-takin’ of the pardon, ma’am, but--but--Nick, why in thunder don’t you dry up and blow away! I can’t remember that crazy thing you say!” “Celn’ly, pleecetuh!” Sing Lung replied. He was doing his part. Nick threw his hat on the floor in disgust. “Mahvis dance, you bonehead!” he shouted. “Mahvis dance! Mahvis dance! Can’t you remember that?” Roy could hold in no longer. He burst out in a roar of laughter. “I know what he means now!” he gasped. “Oh, for Pete’s sake! He means, ‘_May I have this dance!_’ Wow! Hold me up, somebody! Mahvis dance! Jimminy! I’m going to cave in, sure! Nick, you old--” and vainly Roy struggled for breath. Like a flash, every head turned in the direction of the door. Nick grinned in embarrassment. Sing Lung, with a yell, tore off the apron and hat. “I’m sorry, Nick, but I couldn’t help it!” Roy gasped. “We just happened to hear what you said. Sing, you sure are one fine lady! Excuse me, boys, but I just have to--” and he went off in another gale of merriment. Ethel and Teddy were doing their best to preserve straight faces, but the strain was too much. They, too, started to laugh. “Sure, go ahead!” Nick said, with a grin. “We don’t mind it. I was just showin’ the boys how to act tonight. You see, they don’t know nothin’ about polite society, an’ I--” “Yea, I suppose you know it all!” Pop Burns burst out. “Teddy, what’s that crazy thing this coot’s been tellin’ us. What does ‘mahvis dance’ mean?” “It means ‘may I have this dance!’” Teddy answered. “Nick, you take the first prize. Where did you ever hear that?” “What, mahvis dance?” Nick asked. “Why, that’s what those New Yorkers said over at Easton when they had that dance fer the benefit of the starvin’ Negroes or somethin’. I went to it, so I know. But these hyenas, here, don’t pay no attention to me!” “You just go on explaining to them, Nick,” Ethel advised, with a smile. “You’re perfectly right. ‘Mahvis dance’ is correct.” “There, I told you!” Nick exclaimed triumphantly. “Now mebby you’ll listen! I _knew_ I was right!”